Presidential Elections to Be Held on December 22?
ZAGREB, October 23, 2019 - The first round of presidential elections in Croatia will almost certainly be held on December 22, three days before Christmas, which means that the second round would be held on January 5, the Večernji List daily learned from sources at the ruling HDZ party, who said that other dates were possible only in the event of extraordinary situations.
The formal decision on elections is made by the government, which must call elections 60 days at the earliest and 30 days at the latest before the expiry of the term of incumbent President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the Večernji List issue of Wednesday says.
These legal and constitutional provisions make it possible for the government to call elections on five possible dates between December 19 and January 19. Since elections are always held on a Sunday, possible election dates are December 22 and 29 and January 5,12 and 19.
The HDZ has opted for the earliest possible date, but the daily's sources claim that they did not give any special consideration to which of the possible dates would be more favourable for their candidate.
Previous presidential elections were held at the end of December and considering constitutional deadlines, there was no reason to choose a date in January and call elections at the last moment, a senior HDZ member, involved in Grabar-Kitarović's campaign, said.
Considerations regarding the most favourable date for elections could be linked with the fact that their first round falls ahead of Christmas, when most voters are in Croatia, while the second round falls in January, at the time of school holidays, when many are away for skiing.
Political analyst Žarko Puhovski believes that that fact is not without influence on the possible election outcome and is confident that the absence of a part of the electorate during winter school holidays in the 2015 presidential election had a negative impact on the result of former president Ivo Josipović and that he might have won the election if its timing had been different.
More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.
HeadOnEast: How to Make the Most from a Weekend in Eastern Croatia
October 23, 2019 - Even for many Croatian residents, eastern Croatia is a relatively unknown destination, so what is there to explore in a weekend? TCN decided to HeadOnEast on a family road trip to find out.
We had been discussing a weekend in Budapest or Vienna. That is one of the great advantages of living in Varazdin - there is so much that is in driving distance. But in the end, we made a family decision to go in an entirely different direction for a weekend of family discovery - Slavonia.
The initial publicity from the HeadOnEast - Hedonist@Slavonija has died down now that Days of Croatian Tourism is behind us and the tourism chiefs are safely back in Zagreb, but those few days reignited my enthusiasm for eastern Croatia, and the family seemed to like the photos I was sending back. Could we have a more fun weekend in Slavonia rather than Budapest or Vienna? We decided to find out.
School finished at 13:15 in Varazdin, and we were on the road by 15:00, destination Bilje just outside Osijek, where we would stay with friends. The journey time was much shorter than I had imagined, just over three hours via Zagreb. Slavonia was actually closer than most of the coast.
The roads were clear and we made good progress and as we turned off the main Belgrade motorway closing in on Osijek, a huge church appeared on the horizon. But really massive.
Djakovo Cathedral. It was only just off the road, so we decided to stop for a quick wander around.
And what a pretty little place Djakovo is, with one of the nicest main squares in Croatia.
And the cathedral is outstanding, both inside and out. Mass was underway and so we snuck in - this photo above is just from one of the sides, not the main altar.
We debated on whether or not to visit the famous Djakovo Lipizzaner horses, but decided that we would save that for next time as we wanted to press on.
Downtown Osijek of course his its own mightily impressive cathedral from the same era and architect, some 3.5 million bricks in all towering over the city skyline.
There was a really nice vibe around town early on the Friday night, a wonderful place to walk around and explore the historic streets and buildings.
Being on the Drava, Osijek has its own 'riva' just as in Dalmatia, a place of space, nature and people watching. A nice little spot for a coffee on arrival.
it was my family's first visit to Slavonia and I wanted them to see as much as possible, and the walk along the river to Tvrda, or Fortress, was magical. And although the fortress and old town date back centuries, some rather impressive changes and upgrades are in process, such as this spectacular new square, which was until recently mostly a muddy parking lot.
And when the old town comes alive, it really comes alive. Things were a lot quieter during our visit, but take a tour of the HeadOnEast gourmet festival earlier this month in the video above.
Osijek surprised us all with its beauty and the sheer number of historic buildings and wide tree-lined avenues - gllimpses of its past glories. Get more of a feel in this walking tour above, organised by locals with a lot more knowledge than this fat British blogger.
And so to our accommodation, and one which we were all looking forward to. A weekend without gadgets in the natural beauty of OPG Mario Romulic just outside Bilje.
Mario is a good friend of mine and is diversifying from his very successful career as one of Croatia's premier photographers to open his own organic farm next to his home. It is fantastic! I stayed there a couple of weeks ago for the first time, slept like a log and woke to the clucking of hens.
And all around the wooden house, organic produce leading to the family home. The kids loved it, especially the 15 cats (mostly tiny kittens) which were roaming freely with the hens.
But we had also come to explore, and the first stop was a visit to the legendary cellars of Ilocki Podrum, Croatia's most decorated winery and purveyors of wine for the Royal weddings of William and Harry, as well as the Queen's coronation back in 1953 - learn more about that and the most expensive bottle of wine in Croatia.
But before the tour of the cellars, a little breakfast. A glass of Traminac with the most unusual-sounding breakfast dish I have ever come across. Literally translated - Torn Underpants. They tasted a lot better than they sounded.
The Ilok cellars are incredible, the stories even more so, and the wines even more so than that. There is a separate article coming on TCN, but in the meantime, just visit!
And plenty were visiting, even in mid-October. Just one of the day's tour groups from the United States. Despite its position as the easternmost point of Croatia, Ilocki Podrum receives some 70,000 tourists a year, 45,000 of them foreign.
But while I was aware of the wines, I had no idea that tourism at Ilocki Podrumi was also booming in addition to the wine. The estate of Principovac is located in splendid isolation outside of town, a very popular wedding venue and complete with restaurant, quality accommodation, tennis courts and even some golf. A really great conference centre and place to escape the stresses of life.
And to party. The New Year's Eve festivities for 500 guests are quite something apparently. Take in the view in the video above.
There was just enough time to visit the compact old part of the town of Ilok as well. Really rather pretty and definitely a destination for a relaxing weekend in its own right.
Slavonia is VERY flat and we loved the golden autumnal colours as we drove, as well as several very quirky things along the route. The famous Slavonian straw artist has been busy in the region...
And then, finally, the chance to fill in one of the biggest gaps in my knowledge of Croatia - Vucedol.
And what a gap it turned out to be. I knew that there was some claim to ancient civilisation in eastern Croatia, but I had never researched it too much, and so the Vucedol Museum was quite a shock. For this modern-day suburb of Vukovar had once been as important as Paris today in terms of settlements in Europe.
And the discoveries of Vucedol place it very favourably with other world-famous cultures such as the pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge etc. And yet very little is known internationally about Vucedol.
A very developed civilisation which gave the world the oldest calendar in Europe, the first metal casting of tools, and some rather funky fashion 5,000 years ago.
And rituals of human sacrifice.
More on Vucedol coming soon, but check out the museum, it is one of the very best in Croatia and a great family attraction. And the enticing thing is this - only 10% of the area has been excavated. Imagine what else is waiting to be found if the other 90% is ever excavated. Croatia could be home to one of the world's most important archaeological sites.
From the ancient past to the very recent past, as we visited probably the most famous building in eastern Croatia and symbol of the suffering of the heroic city of Vukovar, which is now under reconstruction.
I had planned on exploring Vukovar on a future visit, but as we were so close, we decided to drive through. The iconic water tower in the distance, the Danube separating Croatia from Serbia.
And cruise tourism, the type you rarely read about in the news, but growing slowly and bringing tourists to the east - cruises down the River Danube. Still going strong in mid-October.
And so to our next stop - to the oldest continuously inhabited town in all Europe, home to some of the more sensational Vucedol finds. Vinkovci, a fascinating town we covered in some detail recently.
And since my visit a few weeks ago, yet one more sensational discovery - wonderfully preserved remains of a Roman chariot and horse. What other secrets await to be discovered - from Roman times, the Vucedol era, and others?
There was lots to ponder and discuss as we headed back to our organic paradise on Saturday night.
Sunday morning was spent with Barba Mario. As far away from the stress of modern life as one could hope to be.
We really enjoyed our tour of his wonderful project, which you can learn more about on Facebook. and all the little details, such as this little bug hotel, which provides the right conditions for wild bees to thrive. They are essential as they work in much lower temperatures than ordinary bees, therefore pollinating where pollination would otherwise not happen.
And after a tour, a little breakfast - all locally sourced or home-grown.
Slavonia is known for many things, including the best hospitality in all Croatia, and while we had planned to leave a little earlier, a tour of Mario's 'Meat Church' and an invitation to lunch proved too hard to resist.
And while Mario slow-cooked the meat, we drove the one kilometre necessary to one of the natural jewels of Croatian tourism, Kopacki Rit Nature Park.
The weather was perfect, the nature more so - one of the most important wetlands in Europe, with over 300 species of birds.
And nicely constructed wooden walkways took you through the marshlands - beautifully done.
And we were not alone. Another boat full of tourists heads out into the Kopacki Rit waterways.
Meanwhile...
Romulic the photographer combines with Romulic the masterchef.
Cooking as It Once Was.
A hearty lunch, great company and fabulous Slavonian hospitality. It was with some regret that we packed our things and headed back west to our regular lives.
Budapest or Vienna for the weekend? Why not explore the jewels which are much closer to home instead?
Here are 10 things that I learned about eastern Croatia this month.
Food Intolerances, Gluten-Free And Croatian Tourism
October 22, 2019 - A growing number of people are suffering from food intolerances, which are affecting their restaurant experiences on holiday. A diaspora view of the Croatian tourism restaurant experience.
Across the world, one in ten people suffers from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) – a chronic painful condition caused by food intolerances. 1% of the world's population shows symptoms of Coeliac disease, while 20-30% carry a gene associated with a genetic susceptibility to Coeliac disease. There are also food intolerances like Crohn's disease where, according to CCFA foundation, in the United States alone there are approximately 33,000 new cases per year.
I visit Croatia at least once or twice a year. As a long-time sufferer of IBS, this topic is close to my heart, or better, to my gut. I try not to let my condition prevent me from living life to its fullest and that includes travelling. My condition was developing slowly, with each year getting worse. I’ve been feeling judgmental eyes on me when asking for certain food in the restaurants for a long, long time. Asking to use toilets when there is no time to sit and order a drink to be granted permission to do so and you are already feeling singled out, judged and shamed. This condition taught me one thing, in order to live, I have to forget about the shame, but I admit, I am still apologising when asking for gluten-free dishes in a restaurant.
What exactly is IBS?
A chronic condition whose symptoms include abdominal pain and bloating, excessive gas, distention, a noisy abdomen and diarrhoea or constipation (intermittent), even fatigue and migraines. While the majority of doctors these days will recognise the condition and diagnose it, they don’t have much of a track record in fixing the problem. In reality, they can’t pinpoint one cause of it. It is complicated and complex. One thing they know is that certain types of food are triggers. Food that contains so-called FODMAP, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. I hope you had fun pronouncing that.
In recent years there have been some trends that might be the reason for certain skepticism among the general population. Suddenly it was very fashionable to eat only gluten-free, or drink soy milk and I'm aware that type of behaviour caused some people to ridicule it. The truth is that there is a large number (and it's growing by the day) of people like me, with genuine gut problems and food intolerances. Food intolerances are not the same as food allergies or food hypersensitivities where an immune reaction is developed, usually very quickly after ingesting an allergen, for example shellfish, peanuts and so on.
So, to get back to my question, where is Croatia standing in offering certain food options in the restaurants, hotels, bars etc?
This year I spent a few days in Zagreb, many more days in the area around Nin/Zadar and a few in Omis, Dubrovnik, Peljesac, and Mljet. I ate in all of those places. There are some lovely people in the hospitality sector and some not worthy of mentioning. There are restaurants and restaurants, like everywhere in the world. Some say, why would a restaurant owner have to deal with all kinds of food intolerances and allergies?
I do understand it is a hassle, but if you want to offer your customer an enjoyable experience it takes a certain amount of effort. Most of us sufferers are preparing in advance, trying to research the restaurant online. So, a good website is a must, with up-to-date menus and all relevant information about most common allergens.
If I get the information that the staff is willing to accommodate me with gluten-free and dairy free versions, then I'll choose that restaurant knowing I’ll have the option to find something that I can eat without consequences. Menus in the restaurant with detailed ingredients for each meal would be a major help. I am used to carrying a little bottle of oat milk with me if I want to enjoy my coffee in a bar, because I still apologise when I have to order something like that. There was one exception on that trip - Zagreb. It is a city that has more options and it is certainly standing out in a positive way when comparing it to other places I visited.
The worst part was around Nin. I was staying 4 km from Nin and the search to find gluten-free pizza led me all the way to Zadar, to the only pizza place (a really good pizza place) that had an online site stating “We do have gluten-free”.
Let me give you another example. Not even a month after my return to Ireland, I was on another trip, to Northern Ireland. In a place called Portrush we stayed in a B'n'B which has been in business for 20 years. An old and warm place with several rooms and a saloon for breakfast. When it comes to breakfast, that was the first place for a long time where I didn’t feel I had to apologise about my specific food needs. I was offered multiple choices, from different breakfast gluten-free cereals, gluten-free toast, to the choices of dairy-free milk, rice, oat or soy milk, dairy free butter... They even made me scrambled eggs with oat milk. I paid the regular price, like any other visitor. That is something I will remember for a long time. I felt like “normal” people feel when they want to enjoy themselves on their holidays.
That is the difference between sufferers and fashionable fussy eaters. Sufferers want to be normal, to feel like a normal person but our conditions prevent us to be so. While fussers want to be different from others.
To conclude, Croatia as a tourist country has to give more thought to this topic and act more eagerly and quickly. There are still a lot of tourist places where you can’t get gluten-free options and definitely not dairy free ones. I saw supermarkets where there is a variety of gluten-free breads instead of a few, but then the use-by-dates expired weeks ago and they're still sitting on the shelves. Next time, the manager will not order any, as it doesn’t sell. Food intolerant people are not a thing of the past, sadly the numbers are growing and the education about those issues is important for anyone in the food business and definitely in the hospitality sector.
Learn more about the issues in Croatia in our lifestyle section.
Government to Increase Support to Exporters
ZAGREB, October 23, 2019 - The government can support exporters and enterprises by reducing para-fiscal charges and by offering financial schemes for improvement energy efficiency in industry, Environment and Energy Minister Tomislav Ćorić said at a convention of exporters organised by the Lider business weekly newspaper.
Minister Ćorić says that Croatian exporters are faced with a series of challenges, some of these being an increasing cost of labour and electricity which is something the state cannot influence to any great degree. However, the authorities can reduce para-fiscal charges, which it is already doing, he added.
He recalled that currently a new model for paying charges for renewable energy sources (OIE) is being implemented which should relieve large consumers in the energy intensive industry sectors. This is at the final stage of negotiations with the European Commission and the cutting costs can range between 80%, 60% and 40%.
Ćorić said that the ministry had provided 495 million kuna in subsidies over the past two years to stimulate energy efficiency in industry.
In his comment on repeated complaints by exporters that the kuna currency is too strong, the minister said that a strong kuna has become an alibi for failure because it has been strong since 1994 while on the other hand since then to date, we have had a "unbelievable stable exchange rate."
Asked about the possibility of Volkswagen coming to Croatia, Ćorić said that he did not personally participate in those talks however he believes that a move like that would mean a lot to Croatia's industry and import sector.
If talks in that regard have commenced, everything will be done for that investment to be achieved, Ćorić said.
Marinko Došen, of the AD Plastik Group that manufactures car plastic parts said that the possibility of Volkswagen coming to Croatia depended on what concessions it would be offered and that statements by Economy Minister Darko Horvat were encouraging in that regard. The figures show that for every employee in the automobile industry there are at least seven employed in the entire infrastructure and supply industry, Došen underlined.
He believes that the arrival of Volkswagen would be an excellent boost for Croatia's economy. Volkswagen is one of AD Plastik's buyers and the arrival of that German giant would open the opportunity to finally sell something on the local market.
Croatia is going into the fight for an investment worth over a billion euro, which is how much German car maker Volkswagen plans to invest in a new factory, Večernji List daily said on Tuesday, citing sources at the Ministry of the Economy.
The Germans planned on building the factory in Turkey but ditched the plan over Ankara's military offensive in Syria, Večernji List says, adding that, according to well-informed sources, Croatia will be included in a new round of talks between Volkswagen and the interested countries, namely Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
Volkswagen plans to produce 300,000 vehicles annually and employ 4,000 people in the new factory, the newspaper says.
More economic news can be found in the Business section.
Could Croatia Attract Volkswagen? Yes, If it Doesn't Blow its Chances...
Asked how he assesses Croatia's prospects of attracting a large investment, especially important because what is in question is a propulsive industry, Croatian entrepreneur Branko Roglić emphasised the fact that it depends solely on whether or not Croatia will do everything necessary to actually set itself apart and as such be selected for this project.
As Suzana Varosanec/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 22nd of October, 2019, Mate Rimac is a great Croatian innovator, and I'm 100 percent sure that thanks to his involvement and business activities in the field of electric cars, which is growing by 10 percent per year, has drawn the attention of global players from the automotive industry to the possibility of investing and launching new projects in Croatia.
This was stated by the respected Croatian entrepreneur Branko Roglić, the owner of Orbic, which operates in twenty countries and employs more than 8,000 workers, generating more than two billion euros in revenue. As one of the founders of the Croatian Employers Association (HUP), as well as an active member and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Roglić welcomes Rimac's membership within HUP.
"I believe that Rimac, by with his results in the production of electric cars, contributes to the possibility of Croatia becoming a place where the big car industries can realise their business plans,'' stated Roglić encouragingly.
The understandable reaction, which is more or less HUP's rightul congratulations to Croatia's beloved entrepreneur Mate Rimac on his merits, comes after he just confirmed that a recent meeting attended by Porsche (a member of the VW Group) and Hyundai leaders in Zagreb resulted in the opening of a communication channel between the Croatian Government and some of the big players in the automotive industry. Something hardly imaginable without the likes of Mate Rimac's involvement.
More astonishing yet, this is an important complement to the latest information from the Ministry of the Economy regarding the confirmation of Croatia's involvement in a major tender for Volkswagen's new factory.
The German car giant, as was initially reported by Večernji list, considers Croatia as its potential location for the planned relocation of Passat and Škoda Superb's production in 2022, in a brand new plant that would produce 300,000 vehicles a year and employ 4,000 people, while existing plants in Germany and the Czech Republic would see the production of electric cars organised.
While the majority of us are likely surprised that any sort of major investment would focus on Croatia, the inclusion of Croatia is no surprise to Roglić, who simply says that everything depends on the country's true willingness to be chosen.
"The government has to do literally everything possible to attract a strong German investor in an industry that is creating big jobs, high levels of investment and dictating new technological developments. This means that we should follow the recipe of Slovakia, known for its administration having opened the so-called ''big door'' precisely to the automotive industry before it entered the EU: it provided it with construction sites that were granted free of charge, as well as the entire infrastructure, and introduced a tax exemption over a period of time. Our government should follow in those steps, because Croatia must not miss this chance,'' Roglić warned.
Make sure to follow our dedicated business page for much more.
Slovenia Criticises EC Decision on Croatia's Schengen Preparedness
ZAGREB, October 23, 2019 - Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said on Tuesday the European Commission's decision that Croatia met the technical conditions to join the Schengen Area was political, and insisted that Croatia implement the arbitration ruling on its border dispute with Slovenia.
"We regret that the European Commission decided on such an important matter, the assessment of Croatia's preparedness to join Schengen, just before the end of its term and that it adopted a political decision," Šarec said, according to a press release from his office.
"We expect Croatia to meet all the conditions for joining Schengen, technical and legal ones, including respect for the rule of law," he said, alluding to what Slovenian authorities consider respect for the rule of law, including the implementation of the border arbitration ruling.
Croatia does not recognise the ruling, maintaining that Slovenia irrevocably compromised the arbitration procedure.
Croatian members of the European Parliament Tonino Picula and Karlo Ressler on Tuesday welcomed the European Commission's green light for Croatia to join Schengen, while Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon said it was an "unacceptable decision" by the outgoing Juncker Commission.
"That's good news for the Schengen Area which found itself over the past seven, eight years under attack of various circumstances which have weakened its purpose, which is to ensure free movement for European citizens and encourage more European cooperation and commitment to the European project," Picula (Social Democratic Party) told Croatian reporters in Strasbourg.
"The Commission has shown on Croatia's example that Schengen is one of the biggest European integration achievements," he said. He does not believe the political decision on Croatia's Schengen accession will be made soon and notes that "Croatia will have to keep working."
Fajon was disappointed by the Commission's decision. "We would very much like to see Croatia join Schengen, but only after it has met all the conditions. It seems that's not the reality. Reports by nongovernmental organisations reveal what happens on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina," she told Croatian and Slovenian reporters.
"This is an unacceptable decision by (Commission President) Jean-Claude Juncker," she added.
More news about relations between Croatia and Slovenia can be found in the Politics section.
Ruling Coalition Agrees Budget, Public Finance Framework Good
ZAGREB, October 23, 2019 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said after a three-hour meeting of the ruling coalition on Tuesday evening that the coalition was agreed that the budget and public finance framework for next year was good and should be maintained.
"We are all agreed, I believe that all members of the coalition and the parliamentary majority agree that the budget and public finance framework for next year is good and should be maintained," said the minister.
The ruling coalition discussed at its meeting a budget revision for this year, the 2020 budget and the fourth round of the tax reform.
Asked if there was room in the budget to increase wages as much as striking teachers' unions wanted, Marić said: "We must be very clear, you are aware of the restrictions for next year's budget, we have to stick to them. The overall framework is sustainable and we are not bringing it into question. It is a question whether there is additional room for additional increases. Everything should be in line with possibilities."
Asked again if this meant that the six percent wage increase offered to teachers was the government's maximum offer, the minister said: "That's right".
As for an increase in the minimum wage announced by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković earlier in the day, Marić said he did not have any specifics and that they would be known after a government session.
He said that the dialogue on the budget and taxes would continue in the coming days, and that the related legislation should be formulated by the government next week and then forwarded to the parliament in the first half of November.
The minister said that the government spent as much as it earned and that any surplus would be directed into the business sector.
The minister also said that he believed the Croatian People's Party (HNS), a junior partner in the ruling coalition, would support the budget.
As for criticism from Milan Bandić, the mayor of Zagreb and leader of the Labour and Solidarity Party, which is part of the parliamentary majority, that local government units would again lose a lot in the fourth round of the tax reform, Marić said that that would be discussed at a later stage.
He said that the government was not giving up on measures for young people and would put them forward as planned.
More budget news can be found in the Business section.
VIDEO: MK Group to Invest 5 Million Euros in "Skipper Resort" in Savudrija
As Glas Istre writes on the 22nd of October, 2019, since back in 2017, MK Group has owned the Skipper Resort in Savudrija, Istria, a complex covering over 200,000 square metres in total.
The complex includes Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, as many as 21 luxury villas, golf courses and apartments. With this year's investments of over three million euros in Kempinski Hotel Adriatic in Croatia and the announced new investments of two million euros over the next year, MK Group confirms their clear intention to develop the tourist destinations in which it operates and showcases their desire to make them a favourite among regional and European tourists.
It is no secret that Istria offers great potential for tourism development. In this part of the region, MK Group wants to be a fully active partner in the development of not only hotel deals but entire destinations, and wants to make their projects in Istria become favourite tourist destinations.
''That's why we started this investment process,'' said Kai Behrens, General Manager of Kempinski Hotel Adriatic in Savudrija, Istria.
Mr. Behrens also said that more than three million euros had been invested in total in the renovation of the hotel in the past, and that the major works were the renovation of the hotel beach, The Skipper residence, the VIP beach and the restaurant.
"In the coming period, we expect additional investments of two million euros in the Skipper Resort villas, as well as the furnishing and refurbishing of certain apartments. We're meeting the trends and demands of modern tourism and I wanted to make this part of the Adriatic the first choice, not only for guests from the region, but also for those from other European countries and from further afield,'' added Kai Behrens.
It's worth mentioning that the majority-and-minority-owned MK Group owns fourteen hotels in Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro, the Portorož Airport and a golf course in Savudrija. Particularly important for the development of the tourism sector within MK Group is the collaboration with renowned global brands such as Kempinski and Sheraton.
If you're able to understand Croatian, watch the video below:
Make sure to follow our dedicated travel and business pages for more on investment in tourism in Croatia.
Torpedo Discovered Near Opatija Given to Rijeka City Museum
A torpedo which has been lying on the Adriatic's seabed near Opatija since the Second World War finds a new home thanks to the efforts of its finder and the local police.
A few days ago, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar police received two reports of the discovery of explosives left behind from the Second World War, which were found in local forested areas and during a dive in the sea in the Cres archipelago.
These bombs were taken by local police officers from the explosion detachment division of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Police Department and will be disposed of properly in strict accordance with the rules of the profession according to a report from Morski.
The police have extended their thanks to the conscientious people who found these explosives for the report and on this occasion have appealed to all other citizens not to touch any explosives they might come across, but instead to immediately call the police on the number 192.
The police also urge citizens who still hold unregistered weapons or explosive devices to voluntarily surrender them to the police as part of the implementation of the "Less weapons - less tragedy" campaign without fear of sanctions. Neither misdemeanor nor criminal proceedings will be instituted against persons who voluntarily surrender the said weapon(s) or any other explosive devices they have in their possession.
The police would also like to thank and ask citizens not to dispose of explosives or weapons anywhere, such as in forests, seas, lakes, rivers or landfills due to the risk of their activation. They also ask that people don't bring any of these dangerous items themselves to police stations, but to call the police in order for experts to come and safely remove any explosives. Following a call, police officers in civilian vehicles and clothing will come and deal with the items.
As Morski writes on the 22nd of October, 2019, Opatija police received a report Monday from a citizen who spotted a torpedo-like object in the sea in the wider Opatija area.
In addition to the staff of the Opatija police, others who are competent in assessing and handling such potentially delicate situations were also quickly dispatched to the scene.
The find was determined to be a torpedo air tank, albeit without a warhead, and there is thankfully no possibility of its unwanted activation. The torpedo was recovered and removed from the sea and transported to Rijeka, from which the torpedo draws its roots. It is being housed at the Rijeka City Museum, where it is likely to stay.
Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more.
Ledo's Ice Cream "Lino Lada" Proclaimed Best in World!
Ledo's ice cream was created in cooperation with Podravka and was launched on the market back in April this year.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 22nd of October, 2019, Ledo's popular ice cream, Lino Lada, has been named the best ice cream in the world by the International Ice Cream Consortium. The competition was held in Sweden where Ledo's products once again stood out thanks to their creativity, ideas and performance technology. Experts were delighted with the unique shape of the Lino Lada ice cream and the innovative soft dressing, but what made this the best ice cream in the world was the experience of the Lino Lada spread that was successfully transferred onto the ice cream.
As stated, the ice cream was created in cooperation with Podravka and was launched on the market in April this year. The first supplies were then sold out in just a few days, making this ice cream the most sought after dessert of all. Ledo's Lino Lada duo ice cream is a combination of fine hazelnut cream and milk cream, and it's all wrapped in a double soft nougat and milk chocolate topping and is, as such, quite an innovation in the ice cream market. The appearance of the Lino Lada jar is further enhanced by the enjoyment of the ice cream coupled with a favourite creamy spread.
"As Lino Lada has become a favorite brand of cream spreads with a wide variety of flavours, there has been the need to spread this unique flavour to other, related categories like ice cream. It is the innovation and upgrading of what Podravka can do that is the foundation on which we build our success, and we're especially pleased when we're doing in collaboration with our partners, domestic companies. Thus, Podravka initiated the development of Lino Lada ice cream, and the ideal partner for cooperation was Ledo, the leading ice cream producer on the Croatian market. With this collaboration, the unique taste and experience of Lino Lada spreads has been transformed into an icy experience that has delighted consumers around the world, as well as international experts,'' said Vesna Višnić, the director of Podravka's children's food, desserts and snack business program.
"We're extremely proud of this award and the recognition for which Ledo ice cream has been recognised as the best ice cream in the world by the profession, that is, by global independent ice cream producers. Being the best in the world is a great honour, as is the obligation to continue to produce the highest quality ice creams in the future, leading globally with technological solutions, innovations and creativity,'' said Marin Poljak, CEO of Ledo.
Podravka developed its two-colour cream spread way back in 1998 and today, in as many as five flavours, it can be found on the shelves in more than twenty countries worldwide, stretching far beyond Europe and covering all continents. The most popular flavour is still the Lino Lada duo, now available in the form of irresistible ice cream. Podravka continuously monitors the preferences of consumers of cream spreads and strives to offer new flavours as a reward for loyalty to the Lino Lada brand.
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